


Summers Ball

by craterdweller



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Crack Crossover, F/M, Parody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2381408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/craterdweller/pseuds/craterdweller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Response to a livejournal challenge to write a fic(let) that changes the genre of a fandom. My apologies to Jane Austen who is rolling in her grave. The Summers women set in the Jane Austen universe. Character assassinations were done for parody purposes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summers Ball

Buffy Summers sighed as she watched her younger sister Dawn get ready for the summer ball. She fussed for the hundredth time with her dress.

“Do you really think he’ll like it, Buffy?”

“He would have to be blind not to.” When Dawn turned back to the mirror once again, Buffy looked down at her own dress. It was a simple design, but the cut and color flattered her, or so her mother said. When their father’s financials had taken a downward turn with the economy they had only been able to spare enough money to buy one new dress for the summer ball hosted by the esteemed Lord William Pratt, a gentlemen that had shown favor in the past weeks towards Dawn.

Lady Joyce Summers breezed into the room, “Dawn, you are a vision.”  She turned towards her eldest, “Promise me you will be on your best behavior, won’t you? And at least try to mingle.”

Buffy sighed. She hated that she had to parade herself like a prime side of beef to secure her future. She didn’t want a husband that wanted a trophy wife. She wanted a husband that would challenge and encourage her intellect. Not like there were any eligible men like that in Sunnydale.

“Buffy?”

“I’ll try. But I won’t dance with that insufferable Liam Angel again.”

“Buffy Summers, Mister Angel is a close friend of Lord Pratt so if he asks you to dance, you dance with him. Lord Pratt favors your sister, but he has, as of yet, made no formal proposal. A formal engagement would secure this family’s future. You WILL be on your best behavior young lady.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Besides, I hear there is a new gentleman that has just arrived in Sunnydale. A Mister Giles. He’s quite the looker from what I’ve heard, if a bit shy.”

Buffy raised her eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you know of him?”

“Nothing. Except that he is a little older, and unmarried.”

“Now hurry, dears. The carriage will be here shortly.”

When they arrived, fashionably late as dictated by their mother, the ball was already in full swing. Lord Pratt graciously greeted them and led Dawn onto the dance floor leaving Buffy alone while her mother mingled with the other parents. As she feared, this left her vulnerable to unwanted attention from Liam Angel. As he went to fetch them some punch, she desperately searched for a way out of dancing with him. It was then that she spotted the tall stranger standing by the window. He was somewhat older, with hair greying at his temples, but well, if modestly, dressed. Never having been shy, she boldly walked up and offered her hand.

“Hello. I’m Buffy Summers. You must be Mister Giles.”

“Er, yes. A pleasure Miss Summers.” He politely shook her hand and then took a step back.

“Please, it’s Buffy.” She waited for the usual joke about her name. When none was forthcoming she studied him more closely. Maybe he wasn’t shy, but dimwitted. But when she looked at his face he was looking back at her intently, with the most striking green eyes. She swallowed, unused to having such scrutiny turned towards herself. “What brings you to Sunnydale, Mister Giles?”

He looked down at his drink, breaking their eye contact. “Lord Pratt is an old friend and asked me to advise him on some matters.”

“So you are a solicitor then?”

“No. Merely a scholar. I’m sorry, Miss, but I’m not at liberty to discuss his personal affairs.”

Personal affairs. Buffy wondered if he was here to advise Lord Pratt on choosing a wife. If so, she needed to be very careful. Not because of any financial benefits, but because Dawn was completely smitten with Lord Pratt.

“Of course. I meant no offense, sir.”

“None taken Miss Summers.”

“Do you dance, Mister Giles?”

“No. I’ve no use for dancing.” He scowled and turned a little away from her as if to end their conversation. Or what there was of it.

“Ah, there you are. I wondered who had stolen you away. What are you doing wasting time with this old bookworm?” Buffy shuddered at the approach of Liam Angel but apparently he was boorish to everyone. She waited for Mister Giles to respond to such an obvious slight.

Mister Giles, however, merely raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. This had the desired effect of making Mister Angel extremely uncomfortable. “Well c’mon Buffy. I’ve brought you your punch now you owe me that dance.” He grabbed her a bit roughly by the arm and meant to lead her away, only to be stopped by the firm hand of one Mister Giles.

“I believe the lady has agreed to dance with me, so if you will kindly unhand her.” It was spoken softly but there was steel in his glance. It was enough to make Liam take a step backwards.

“Fine. She’s a tease and too old for much anyway. There’s a reason why she’s still unmarried and alone.”  He stormed off to where a group of much younger girls were giggling and staring.

Buffy was shocked at how much his comment had hurt despite having no romantic interest in Mister Angel at all. She bowed her head and wished the ground would swallow her whole.

A gentle hand lightly cupped her elbow. “Miss Summers, I would be honored if you would dance with me, but I would understand if you prefer not to do so. You can certainly find a much better dance partner than I.”

Buffy blinked and looked up at her rescuer. She expected to see a look of pity or disgust but instead found sincerity and compassion.  She smiled brightly at him. “I would be honored to dance with such a gallant gentlemen that has surely saved me from a dreadful evening.”

He gave her a charming half-smile and teased, “Well you may wish to revise that estimation when you see what a horrid dancer I am.”

She laughed delightedly. So this Mister Giles has a sense of humor. And he was cute, in an older, distinguished sort of way. Her mother smiled at her approvingly from her place by the punch table and Dawn looked ecstatic as she twirled by with Lord Pratt. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Also fills Parody prompt for genpromt_bingo and Transformations prompt for fanbingo.


End file.
